Virtual Show Vet Works the Model

Steve Smith of min B2B interviews Ginger Szala, group editorial director with Futures Magazine Group, regarding the publisher’s virtual events strategy. Regarding the publication’s evolving business model, Smith writes:

“At this point in the three-year history of the I-Trade events, 70% of sponsors are returning for the next show. Now that the model has proven itself handily for attendees, vendors and the publisher, Szala is rethinking the various pieces. Previously, the full list of registrants was available to all sponsors and booth renters, but she is thinking of instituting a more tiered approach. Currently, vendors pay $4,500 for a booth, $9,500 for sponsorships with broader promotional exposure and $12,000 for featured “gold” sponsorship. Down the road, Szala believes that the critical mass and sheer effectiveness of the model will merit raising the rates and parceling out the leads more judiciously to top sponsors.”

Cisco redefines their Global Sales Experience - a virtual event with real cost savings!

Jennifer Belissent, analyst with Forrester Research, highlights Cisco’s recent virtual sales meeting. Per Belissent, “While Cisco’s was an internal event and not a outward-oriented marketing event, their success is illustrative of the possibilities of virtual events for reaching broad, global audiences.”

Futures Magazine: Virtual Shows – Real Revenues

Steve Smith of min B2B interviewed Ginger Szala, Group Editorial Director of Futures, regarding the publication’s virtual events strategy. The I-Trade Shows powered by InXpo are proving very successful: “In three years, the typical registration for these free-to-user shows has grown from 900 to more than 3,000 for the event last March. As a result, the show typically attracts more than a dozen booth exhibitors at $4,500 a booth.”

Core concepts: You’re Virtually There

Available to subscribers only. Elisabeth Sullivan of Marketing News spoke with Malcolm Lotzof, CEO and co-founder of InXpo, and Susanne Sicilian, vice president of events for MarketingProfs, regarding the role that virtual events plays in the marketing mix. According to the article: “InXpo’s analytics tools help sponsors collect leads, and allow Marketing- Profs to track attendance and improve event content based on which presentations are popular. Sicilian is particularly impressed with the amount of networking that goes on at MarketingProfs’ virtual events.”

People on the Move in the Social Media Industry: October 15, 2009

Jeremiah Owyang, author of Web Strategist Blog, highlights the addition of Bob Bahramipour as CMO and John Hegstrom as VP of Client Services.

InXpo Adds New Executives (subscription only)

In an article highlighting a video conference provider’s recent funding, Scott Denne mentioned the increased interest by investors in the online event space: “Last month Highland Capital Partners invested $9 million in the first institutional round for InXpo Inc., which hosts virtual trade shows and corporate events, after that company saw significant growth in interest for its services on the heels of the recession. That company has since built out its management team, recently hiring YuMe Inc. veteran Bob Bahramipour as chief marketing officer, and two vice presidents.”

Once You Go Hybrid You’ll Never Go Back – Hybrid Event Drives Physical Event Attendance

VirtualEdge details how Cisco Live’s hybrid event – combination of physical and virtual, drove physical attendance to the customer conference. The article also includes stats and lessons learned from the event. According to Dannette Veale, Global Virtual Strategist, “…This year we wanted to have a platform that could reach a much larger audience than you can with a Second Life type solution. We also wanted to be able to allow our onsite attendees the ability to make connections with their peers that were unable to travel to the event. Though we had over 10,000 attendees at the physical event, this new capability allowed us to really expand our reach and community on a year-round basis. The hybrid event serves as an excellent marketing and awareness funnel for net-new attendees.”

InXpo Announces Key New Hires

3D TLC summarizes three key new hires to InXpo’s executive management team: Phil Harrell as VP of Sales, Bob Bahramipour as CMO, and John Hegstrom as VP of Client Services. These three executives will help “expand the company as revenue growth continues.”

Movers and Shakers

San Francisco Chronicle highlights that InXpo is expanding it Bay Area team with Bob Bahramipour as CMO and John Hegstrom as VP of Client Services.

Gaming and Virtual Reality at Cisco’s Annual Sales Meeting

Carlos Dominguez, Sr. Vice President, US Service Providers Sales, wrote about Cisco’s recent virtual sales meeting. Dominguez provides in-depth analyst of the event and lessons learned. Dominguez elaborated, “My overall experience with the virtual venue was quite positive. I thought the team did an incredible job on creating an experience that was visually beautiful, easy to navigate, rich in content, engaging and interactive. The games, especially ‘The Threshold’, were over the top cool and forced you to learn and collaborate in a fun and exciting way.”

Kalido Virtual Conference Scores Big

Merv Adrian, an independent consultant, attended Kalido’s virtual event. Originally a skeptic of virtual events, Adrian writes, “Kalido, a relatively small vendor, has demonstrated that careful preparation, serious commitment, and the right team can allow smaller firms to “punch above their weight,” putting on an event that captures great leads, promotes and sustains community, collects requirements for future product development in a participatory model, and satisfies partners with an event that costs a fraction of the in-person kind. “

Adrian spoke with Kalido’s VP of Marketing, Mary Wells, quoting her with the following: “We’re still on a high – it exceeded our expectations. Of course it’s an apples to oranges comparison. But the quality of the leads was there – and rather than one or two people, I got entire teams from prospects engaging with us. I also asked our field people to go to a site and host a Kalido day there – everybody did so. Immediate flash numbers are 5x what we had last year, at one-fifth the cost. We expect significant results from the show.”

At 19,000, Cisco Sets Bar for Business Critical Virtual Meetings and Events: Cisco Maps the Future for Collaboration and Marketing

Michael Doyle of VirtualEdge details how Cisco tool its Global Sales Experience (GSX) virtual. With collaboration from George P. Johnson, jUXT Interactive and InXpo, Cisco GSX achieved astounding results.

“What Cisco did here has never been done before,” noted Drew VanVooren, President of InXpo. “This is going to be a game-changing event for the meeting industry. Now that it has been done--and very successfully, the flood gates are going to open and companies are going to want to replicate this kind of success. The savings and ROI on this event has to be astronomical.”

InXpo

Gerd De Bruycker is a senior –level events executive for a top IT corporation. In a conversation with Malcolm Lotzof, CEO and co-founder of InXpo, De Bruycker writes how Lotzof identifies the opportunities and future possibilities for virtual events platform (VEP):

“VEP could grow into virtual community platforms where people connect and discuss topics with common interest. And a VEP can grow into a content library platform where people easily can find content, search and connect. Wouldn’t it be nice if all video content of a company’s website would be hosted in the same VEP? Wouldn’t it be nice if people could interact about this content (doc library) on the same VEP? Wouldn’t that be an opportunity for any VEP?”

InXpo CEO Details Expansion and Uses of $9-Million Funding

3DTLC interviewed Malcolm Lotzof, CEO of InXpo, regarding InXpo’s recent $9 million financing. Per Lotzof, “The funding will be funneled into three distinct areas: hardware, human resources, and partnerships.”

How to Run Your Own Successful Virtual Conferences

Available to subscribers only. Kim Smith of MarketingProfs delves into the factors that contribute to successfully producing and delivering a virtual conference. In speaking with Malcolm Lotzof, CEO and co-founder of InXpo, Smith concludes the article with the following counsel:

“Though you may be tempted by the many features available through the digital platform, Lotzof suggests sticking to the basic elements for your first event so that you can keep it straightforward for newbies and focus on making those elements shine.”

InXpo secures $9 million

Vator News, the trusted source for emerging technology, reviews Highland Capital Partners’ investment in InXpo, a leading provider of virtual events and virtual businesses. This funding will be used by InXpo to “drive world wide market leadership and continue working on its platform.”

Highland Leads $9M InXpo Deal

Rebecca Zacks highlights Highland’s first round of financing in InXpo, the leading provider of virtual events and virtual business environments.

Online Event Service InXpo Scores $9M, Thanks To Economic Downturn

Available to subscribers only. Scott Denne of Dow Jones VentureWire spoke with Malcolm Lotzof, CEO and co-founder of InXpo, regarding the InXpo’s $9 million funding by Highland Capital Partners. Denne wrote: "InXpo also has a competitive advantage because its events are easy to use and have a level of customization that enables customers to go well beyond adding their corporate logo. The company has software development kits and an open architecture that allows customers to build applications for their events, Lotzof said."

InXpo Raises $9 Million First Round for Virtual Events

Dean Takahashi of VentureBeat provides a summary of InXpo’s venture funding. Takahashi writes: “This kind of recession-friendly event costs less to stage on the web than a physical trade show, since it eliminates travel and booth-related costs.”

InXpo Raises $9 Million First Round for Virtual Events

Paidcontent.org provides a brief on a round of funding by the leading provider of virtual events and virtual business environments, InXpo.

Red 7 Media’s Event Marketing Institute to Launch Next-Generation Virtual Business Environment

VirtualEdge summarizes Red 7 Media’s strategy for year-round virtual communities powered by InXpo. According to the article: “Red 7 Media is a producer of content and community in the event and publishing industries, with an array of print, online, and live-event brands that provide connections and thought leadership. The company will be working with InXpo to create year-round virtual environments for the event industry and the magazine publishing industry, providing users with a host of rich information services, including research, webinars, events, community interaction and productivity tools.”

Are You Ready for Virtual Events?

Dennis Shiao, Client Services Executive with InXpo, guest posted on the Marketing Minute blog. Titled "Are You Ready for Virtual Events?" Shiao highlights five questions to consider to successfully implement a virtual events strategy

Deal Radar: InXpo

Sramana Mitra's blog profiles InXpo, the leading provider of virtual events. The profile highlights:

When InXpo started to develop its "InXpo Virtual Event platform", they identified two industry trends that would determine the architecture of the platform. First, they realized that the new Web 2.0 and social media applications coming onto the market would be at the core of any communication, education, or business application. Second, they saw that all future applications would require their own unique front ends for branding, navigation and aesthetic purposes. The company's virtual events and virtual communities have been created such that they can be integrated or aggregated with any Web 2.0 or social media application into a new, consolidated application. Also, customers can choose from or create their own themed environments which can be customized or changed on a regular basis.

United Way Dips into Virtual Fundraising

3DTLC summarizes how United Way of Greater Cincinnati leveraged social media and a
virtual environment powered by InXpo to extend the reach of its annual campaign kick-off. According to Charlotte R. Otto, campaign vice chair and retired global external relations officer at P&G, "P&G shared the virtual event concept with United Way as a way to expand both the reach and impact of this year's campaign."

InXpo unveils Twitter Integration

In this blog posting, Gerd De Bruycker highlights InXpo's Twitter integration

Profile: Eileen Casey, Corporate Communications Manager, InXpo, Inc.

Nancy Davis Kho of EContent Magazine profiled Eileen Casey, Corporate Communications Manager, regarding her day-to-day work at InXpo. According to Casey, "Since virtual events like virtual trade shows, virtual career fairs, and virtual sales kickoff meetings have really taken off over the past few months, my focus has been on education and awareness-building."

United Way plans new campaign tactics

David Holthaus of Cincinnati.com writes how Procter & Gamble and United Way developed a new virtual strategy to reach new donors and audiences for United Way’s annual campaign kickoff in Cincinnati:

The virtual kickoff was more than an online video. A Chicago-based technology firm called InXpo, which counts P&G among its clients, created the virtual event, a digital platform that allowed users to move from "room" to "room" to see presentations, chat online and share their United Way experiences.

Virtual Trade Shows: The Networking Forum for Small Business

Rich Hawkinson, EVP and co-founder of InXpo, was a guest panelist on Strategic Growth Concepts' weekly blog radio show. Titled "Virtual Trade Shows: The New Networking Forum for Small Business," Hawkinson provided his perspective and tips on what companies should consider when implementing or participating in a virtual event.

Virtual launch planned for United Way campaign

A.G. Lafley, chairman of Procter & Gamble and of the United Way, is organizing the first digital launch for the annual United Way fundraising campaign. The launch is being organized by InXpo, which works for P&G, and will include live chats with United Way staff and volunteers, as well as stories from people who have benefited from United Way agency services. American City Business Journals (08/21)

Cisco GSX – A Countdown to a Landmark Virtual Event

Michael Doyle of VirtualEdge interviewed Angie Smith Manager, Global Sales Operations, regarding Cisco’s Global Sales Meeting (Cisco GSX) going virtual. Powered by the InXpo virtual events platform, Cisco GSX was designed by George P. Johnson and jUXT Interactive. According to Smith: “We’re using the InXpo virtual event platform but, for the first time, InXpo will be giving a third-party full creative control over the environment. So our agency, jUXT Interactive, (a part of George P. Johnson) has designed a very cool environment and integrated it into the InXpo platform. Even the exhibitors’ booths don’t look like booths. Our goal was to truly make this an aesthetically appealing environment that was completely un-expected.

Furthermore, VirtualEdge cited an earlier quote by Cisco CEO John Chambers regarding the benefits of Cisco’s virtual events program: “The cost for the Strategic Leadership Summit at Cisco went from $2,800 down to $600 per person,” noted Chambers at a recent event. “The cost per head for our Global Sales Meeting which is now all virtual went from $4,300 to $437 per attendee.”

United Way Kicks Off Campaign Virtually

Dan Monk of the Business Courier of Cincinnati writes about United Way’s virtual campaign kickoff, which is powered by InXpo. According to the article:

The digital launch is part of a strategy aimed at “broadening the base” of United Way donors by reaching out in ways not traditionally used, said Charlotte Otto, who retired as Procter & Gamble Co.’s global external relations officer and now serves as a special assistant to Lafley. Now chairman of P&G, Lafley stepped down as CEO July 1.

Careers: Where are they now?

In this column, Time Out Chicago checked in with Shalina Rankin on her job search. Rankin is now an associate producer with InXpo.

Virtual Recruitment: How DeVry University Does It

In this Q&A, Natalie Celio, manager, Career Services, DeVry Inc, shares her experience using InXpo for their inaugural virtual job fair in May 2009.

Virtual Events Come Into Their Own

Vanessa Voltolina of FOLIO Magazine interviews publishers on tips for running a successful online event. InXpo customers Forbes Media, WATT Publishing and Summit Business Media were interviewed for this article.

"Watt Publishing, a b-to-b publisher specializing in the agri-business market, ran its first virtual event in April with the InXpo platform. Besides using its Twitter integration, Jeff Miller, Watt’s director of e-strategy sales and marketing, says the company focused on learning how to use the metrics InXpo offers. “What we felt was helpful was not only looking at who was visiting the booths but the ability to create profiles based on the visitor’s actions in the environment itself,” says Miller. “At its core, this is a lead generation device.”

Event Technology: Add Twitter to Your Next Virtual Show

Expo Magazine wrote an overview of InXpo’s Twitter integration: “The company provides rich data reporting and back-end metrics that let show organizers track the number of tweets originating from the virtual event, as well as the number of updates with embedded event URLs and the number of visitors generated from tweets. Organizers, for example, can use the data to see which topics generate the most interest, and sponsors can track responses to their booths in real time.”  

InXpo Teams Up with Red 7 Media

3DTLC reports on the partnership between InXpo and Red 7 Media to develop virtual communities. 3DTLC quotes Michael Westscott, Managing Director of Red7Media:
"Together, we'll be able to really educate the magazine, media and publishing space as well as the event marketing community, and really help them understand how to use and combine virtual and physical events effectively."  

Six Steps for Forging Customer Relationships at Tradeshows and Conferences

Available to subscribers only.
MarketingProfs published an article on how to best leverage forge customer relationships at a conference or tradeshow.  DRIFIRE was highlighted as an example of the benefits of exhibiting at both the physical and virtual conferences. Here is an excerpt from the article:

“Step 5: Share the love with those who couldn't attend
With travel budgets strapped for cash these days, there's a good chance not as many people as usual will be able to make the actual event, but that doesn't mean you have to automatically count them out. Some shows now offer both physical and virtual event components so that non-attendees can access information and interact with sponsors via an online connection. When Drifire, a manufacturer of fire-resistant clothing, exhibited at the Fire Department Instructors Conference, for example, it participated in both the physical show and the virtual portion offered by InXpo a provider of privately branded virtual events. Doing so enabled Drifire to increase brand awareness, booth "traffic," and lead generation by an estimated 30%. When virtual elements aren't available, you can still engage with those outside the venue by posting tweets (don't forget to use or create a designated hashtag term for users to follow), blog entries, and event photos and video online during the event proceedings.”

Teacher job fair goes virtual; Charlotte looking to hire

This article highlights the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) job fair powered by InXpo. To date, more than 1,900 candidates have registered for the FLDOE’s job fair.

Forbes' iConferences Are Sticky: Virtually and in Reality

Matt Schifrin,  vice president and investments editor of Forbes Media, speaks with Publishing Executive about how virtual events and trade shows have benefitted Forbes. Forbes Media hired InXpo, the leading provider of virtual events, to power the publication’s investor-related iConferences.

Let's bargain online! You can negotiate with people on 3 continents without stepping in a plane. Pixel by pixel the virtual fairs are gaining ground.

Diana Cosmin, reporter, featured InXpo in an article in Forbes Romania regarding virtual events. Malcolm Lotzof was quoted as stating: “What we offer is the ability for you to meet a potential customer in the virtual world, and then you are able do business in the real world.”

Social Media Turns Consumers into Brand Stewards

Hart W. Van Denburg of CIO Zone delves into social media programs by Zappos, Southwest Airlines, Cisco and Best Buy. Malcolm Lotzof, CEO and co-founder of InXpo, was quoted in the article regarding BtoB social networking:

"Whether its lead generation, sales and support, customer feedback or employee collaboration, "all old school activities can be replaced or enhanced through the use of social networks," says Malcolm Lotzof, CEO and co-founder of virtual-event provider InXpo. His company recently announced that it had integrated Twitter into its product, and it used its own platform to build a virtual office. "Every Sunday evening I read the company blogs and within an hour I have an unbelievable understanding of what's going on in the office. I know which new features are being well accepted by which clients, I know how various client events went off, I know how our softball team did on Thursday."

Twitter Adds to InXpo’s Virtual Show Experience

Hil Anderson of Tradeshow Executive interviews Dennis Shiao, Client Service Executive, InXpo, regarding InXpo’s integration with Twitter. The article highlights the ease-of-use and the ability to tie the physical event with a virtual one. The article concludes by stating “ Given the ease and popularity of Twitter, InXpo probably can sit back and let its newest feature grow on its own.”

Cisco Live! Virtual Wrapped Up Today with Some 3,500 Unique Visitors Bringing Combined Physical and Virtual to Almost 14,000

VirtualEdge writes about the use of physical and virtual events for Cisco Live! 2009. Dannette Veale, Cisco Live! Virtual’s manager was quoted:

 “We have a few unique panels for our Second Life attendees, really great panels. Last night we had a social event in Second Life.” The panel sessions being presented in Second Life and then streamed into the InXpo virtual environment made it easy for people to attend and they didn’t need to go into Second Life or create avatars, etc.

The Convergence of Physical Events and Virtual Events

Dennis Shiao provides interesting perspective on how to make a combined physical/virtual event successful. Shiao highlights his experience at two recent technology events that used this model.
Disclosure: Dennis Shiao is an employee of InXpo. His blog is a reflection of his personal opinions and not that of the company.

Virtual Shows Find the Spotlight

In this article, Steve Smith spoke with Malcolm Lotzof, CEO and Co-Founder of InXpo, who was interviewed regarding his thoughts on the future of virtual events in the publishing industry. Smith concludes the article by stating, "Just as digitization reshaped print publishing, it [virtual events] may permanently transform the events sector and press the industry to rethink its offline approaches." Available to subscribers only.

Partnering face-to-face

Profiled in BtoB Media magazine, PennWell, an InXpo virtual event customer, discusses how a virtual event boosts the physical component of the company’s Fire Department Instructors Conference. When discussing how virtual complements physical events, Eric Schlett, VP-group publisher at PennWell Corp, stated “The virtual event has shown no sign of eating into face-to-face attendance or exhibitor numbers, and organizers are looking at scheduling a third online component.” Tom Cintorino, senior VP-digital media continued, “‘For PennWell, it [provides] additional avenues to present products and solutions to the audience.”

InXpo Introduces Twitter Integration for Virtual Events

Matt Kinsman of FOLIO writes about InXpo’s new Twitter integration. In addition to speaking with Rich Hawkinson, co-founder and executive vice president of InXpo, Kinsman also spoke with Jeff Miller, WATT Media’s director of e-strategy sales and marketing. Hawkinson concludes the article by saying, “We haven’t been able to recreate the actual handshake at a live event but offering eye-to-eye contact really helps.”

InXpo Launches Twitter Functionality for Virtual Events

Meetings & Conventions highlights InXpo’s new Twitter integration, enabling organizers and attendees to send updates via Twitter from the virtual event environment.

InXpo Taps Twitter, Bring Backchannel Up Front

Virtual Worlds News reports on InXpo’s integration with Twitter, writing: “From InXpo-produced trade shows, career fairs or corporate events, attendees, organizers, and vendors can now use Twitter from within the event's virtual environment rather then having to toggle between the virtual event and Twitter.”

Webinar meets video game: Virtual trade shows can save money, but you can’t shake hands with a computer

Mark Crawford, a freelance writer, writes an article about virtual trade shows. In this article, he spoke with Cece Salomon-Lee, director of marketing, InXpo, about the advantages of a virtual trade show: “Virtual trade shows enable you to reach a worldwide audience that is not tied to a specific location,” said Cece Salomon- Lee, director of marketing for Chicago-based InXpo, a leading provider of virtual trade shows and corporate events. “They enable a company to leverage resources more strategically while having a lot of impact in a short period of time. For example, in one day a company can reach hundreds or thousands of potential customers that it may not have been able to reach through traditional formats. Also, since everything is done online, companies can experience some immediate cost savings while being green.”

Virtual events draw a live in-person crowd

Dean Takahashi provides a summary of the Virtual Edge Summit. Malcolm Lotzof, CEO of InXpo, spoke to Dean about the growth of virtual events and the benefits of “just-in-time booth staffing.”

Maritz Partners with InXpo to Create ‘Totally Virtual Environments’

InXpo forms a strategy partnership with Maritz to provide Maritz’ clients with “totally virtual environments.”

InXpo integrates Twitter into virtual events services

BtoB summarizes the new Twitter integration with the InXpo Virtual Event Platform 7.6 including “Twitter Updates, which enables attendees to tweet from the virtual event environment; Event Promotion, which inserts into each tweet the show’s “hashtag,” a Twitter convention that allows followers to group and track tweets by topic; and Word-of-Mouth Tracking.”

InXpo Adds Maritz to Partnership Roster

InXpo is the preferred virtual events platform provider for Maritz, motivational, sales and marketing company. According to the article: “One factor that may have influenced Maritz to make the partnership move was an internal customer survey it conducted earlier this year. In it, respondents were asked what they were doing "to replace the communication that would otherwise take place through meetings and events." With the ability to select more than one answer, 60 percent of respondents said they were replacing some meetings and events with virtual events, while 12 percent said blogs and social media were apt replacements of face-to-face meetings and events.”

Maritz and InXpo Form Strategic Partnership

Meetings & Conventions highlights InXpo’s strategic partnership with Maritz.

InXpo, Maritz partner to offer virtual meetings and events

Christopher Hosford of BtoB Magazine highlights InXpo’s strategic partnership with Maritz to provide virtual environments.

Do you need a virtual world?

In this article by Maria Korolov of Hypergrid Business, she explores when a business may or may not need a virtual world. She spoke with Malcolm Lotzof, CEO of InXpo, about the benefits of a virtual event: “The advantage of a Web-based platform like that offered by InXpo is that there’s no download required, that tens of thousands of people can attend a single event at the same time, and that the platform allows full and detailed tracking of what each guest did while at the event.”

Virtual Events – Another area of success for virtual worlds

In this post, Justin Gibbs writes, "Not only do virtual events give context and introduce a time factor, they supply a crowd. That gives them a few legs up and puts them in company with other successful examples of virtual worlds - MMOs and kids worlds."

DeVry University Career Fair

DeVry University held a Career Fair powered by InXpo Virtual Event Platform. The virtual career fair was featured on NBC affiliate in Columbus, OH.

DeVry to hold first 'virtual' career fair

Kim Mikus, of Daily Herald, interviews DeVry University regarding the university's May 6th virtual career fair which had more than 30 companies participating.

Recession puts pressure on budgets for business conferences

Roger Yu of USA Today highlights the impact of economic recession on business conference participation. As part of the article, Yu highlights how associations are turning to virtual events to enable members to attend virtually: "For the first time, the American Institute of Architects is streaming its sessions online and allowing virtual participation through Twitter and chat programs, CEO Christine McEntee says. About 2,200 have registered."

Guest Post: What Does the Future Hold for Virtual Events?

In this article, Malcolm Lotzof, CEO and co-founder of InXpo, writes about three trends that he anticipates from virtual event technology platforms in the future. This includes video, community, and business "spaces". Lotzof concludes, "While the Virtual Experience or Community is the end goal, the virtual event, as with any event, is the traffic driver, bringing people together at a specific time to engage and have a specific experience. This is the true future of virtual event and experience technology."

Ask the Experts: Events – Malcolm Lotzof, CEO of InXpo

Malcolm Lotzof, CEO of InXpo, provided his insights on content development for a virtual event, including the type of interactive content for promoting engagement and putting in the time and effort to create excellent content.

Shaker's ChicagoJobs virtual job fair as featured on NBC5 Chicago

The virtual career fair is powered by InXpo.

4-14-09 | Sirius Decisions

Sales Kickoffs: Going Virtual

In this research brief, SiriusDecisions discusses "why growing number of sales leaders are considering moving their annual kickoff online, key considerations of making such a move, and thoughts on how incremental value can be gained from going virtual." InXpo is mentioned in this brief available to registered users only.

4-14-09 | VirtualEdge

The Future of Virtual Events Will Serve the Single Purpose of Driving Business

In this interview, Malcolm Lotzof, CEO of InXpo, discusses the benefits of virtual events and the two-fold challenge facing virtual event providers. As Lotzof concludes the interview:

"The future of virtual events will have several aspects, technological and social, but all developments will serve the single purpose of driving business. On the technology side, Lotzof sees a place for more 3D animation, interactive capabilities and video. On the social side, sites like Facebook will provide a template for businesses to create virtual environments, for both individual and business spaces. Further, the creation of communities will also be a key with businesses developing their own in-house platforms to drive traffic to specific events or for more general information. Until that happens, however, InXpo will continue to provide those solutions, and Lotzof sees no letup in the near future."

4-14-09 | VirtualWorldsNews

Virtual Events Gain Experience with InXpo and George P. Johnson

Joey Seiler of Virtual Worlds News interviewed Chris Meyer, SVP of George P. Johnson, and Drew VanVooren, President and co-founder of InXpo, regarding the two companies' partnership. According to Seiler:

"Virtual events are gaining prominence as businesses look to cut travel costs and save time, but they're still a foreign concept to many planners, staff, and executives--especially those outside of the tech field. Partnerships like the one announced earlier this month between InXpo and George P. Johnson are helping to raise awareness, though."

4-08-09 | P5W

Virtual Events Gaining in the New Year (Chinese Article)

In this Chinese article, the Shu Yan discusses that despite the economic crisis in the US, the investment in virtual worlds and virtual events is one shining area. The article mentions Sony Corporation's virtual corporate event powered by InXpo, stating (paraphrased translation) "The show included a virtual marketplace, company representatives who could talk with attendees, and the ability to offer product information and collateral."

4-04-09 | Face 2 Face

George P. Johnson partners with InXpo

Sue Pelletier writes about the partnership, stating that this announcement "reaffirms to me the growing importance of bringing experiential marketing into the online environment."

4-02-09 | MindBites Blog

Attending a Virtual Conference or Tradeshow Online

Ellen of the MindBites Blog describes her first virtual conference experience. Attending MarketingProfs' Marketing Digital World powered by InXpo, Ellen summarized the benefits as:

"If I had to give an actual percentage of effectiveness or real world experience I felt, I would say 80%. There is about 20% that you cannot replicate from human contact with one another. The expense that companies saved on Travel & Entertainment is huge, and quality information was exchanged and transferred effectively in this environment. Therefore, I would say that the experience was positive."

4-02-09 | What Works, What Doesn't

Lounges Key to Virtual Trade Shows

Bob Scheier shares his experiences at the MarketingProfs' Digital Marketing World virtual conference powered by InXpo. Per Scheier, the real value of the virtual conference was the lounge, stating:

"The lounge, though, was where the real value was for me. The chats had the same energy and feel of the spontaneous meetings you have at an old-fashioned show (the one with airline trips and expensive hotels.) It was actually easier to post a message asking "anybody here into (name your subject)?" than trolling a happy hour."

4-02-09 | Peg Mulligan's Blog

Digital Marketing World: Spring 2009 – Winning Against the Odds

Peg Mulligan highlights her first virtual experience in this blog posting about MarketingProfs' Digital Marketing World: Spring 2009 powered by InXpo. Mulligan showcases the ease-of-use and seamless experience, stating:

"What was really great was I could seamlessly click between the locations to orient myself and gauge my interest in the various offerings, in a way I never could at an in-person conference. And the goodies were really fun—not T shirts and pens—but downloadable white-papers from first-rate exhibitors. Did I mention that I experienced all this value from the comfort of my own desk, for free?"

4-02-09 | Second Times

The Second Times reports on the partnership between George P. Johnson and InXpo (Japanese site)

4-02-09 | PROMO

News Briefs – GPJ forms partnership with InXpo

4-01-09 | VentureBeat

InXpo teams up with experience marketing firm to lure big brands

Dean Takahashi of VentureBeat discusses the alliance between InXpo, the leading provider of virtual events and experiences, and George P. Johnson, the premier experience marketing agency worldwide. According to the article:

"The alliance could lead to more virtual trade show events, since GPJ works with a number of global brands. Under the deal, GPJ will use InXpo as the preferred provider of virtual trade shows for GPJ’s clients."

4-01-09 | Virtual Worlds News

George P. Johnson And InXpo Partner For Virtual Events And Experience Marketing

Virtual Worlds News provides an overview of the partnership announcement between InXpo and George P. Johnson. In addion to providing virtual experiences that expand a live experience, Virtual Worlds News stated:

"With GPJ's brand name and InXpo's technology, companies looking to cut travel costs and times may feel more comfortable switching to virtual events."

4-01-09 | VirtualEdge

George P. Johnson and InXpo Create Deep Relationship--What’s Driving the Rush to Build the Virtual Event Ecosystem

Michael Doyle of VirtualEdge interviewed Drew VanVooren, President of InXpo, and Chris Meyers, Senior Vice President, Client Services, Worldwide and General Manager of GPJ, regarding the industry-first partnership between the two companies. As summarized by Doyle:

"The partnership provides brand marketers with a combined offering in one package: the strategic and creative communication capabilities of one of the world’s leading experience marketing agencies (GPJ) integrated with a diverse range of online environments designed to activate brand conversation, community and sales (Inxpo)."

4-01-09 | Gold Stars Speakers Bureau Blog

What's a Completely Digital Meeting Like?? I'll Tell You!

Andrea Gold relates her experiences attending a virtual conference sponsored by MarketingProfs and powered by InXpo. As Gold concludes her post, "...this was a very efficient way to disseminate info, and great also for the sponsors to share data without actually 'selling'!"

3-13-09 | Clever Zebra

Is InXpo Working on a Real Virtual World?

Nick Wilson of Clever Zebra inquires if virtual event platforms, like InXpo, will develop a solution that is a cross between Second Live and what InXpo currently offers as a virtual event.

Tackling Web 2.0: Cisco Systems employs new Internet technologies to increase open rates, connect with customers and enhance Cisco Live

On page 24, Renee DiIullio interviews Kathy Doyle, the lead for Cisco Live, on how Web 2.0 help to promote Cisco Live. On page 26, DiIullio writes about Cisco Live’s virtual event component.

A Whole New World

Loree Stark profiles how corporate planners leverage virtual event technologies "to create content that mimics the look, feel and interactivity of a live event, and brands and companies are getting on board." In this article, InXpo customers, Cisco and Ingram Micro, were profiled on their virtual event programs.

2-23-09 | Chicago Tribune

Trade shows turning to the Web

The only object missing when attending a trade show from your desktop may be the casino.

Everything else familiar to trade show attendees—the exhibit hall, the auditorium, a lounge to chat with other visitors—can be found digitally.

2-18-09 | comScore

comScore Releases January 2009 U.S. Search Engine Rankings

RESTON, VA, February 18, 2009 – comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today released its monthly comScore qSearch analysis of the U.S. search marketplace. In January 2009, Americans conducted 13.5 billion core searches, a 7-percent gain versus December 2008.

2-17-09 | The Earth Times

InXpo Launches Virtual Sales Kick-Off Meetings

InXpo announced today the unveiling of its Virtual Sales Kick-Off Meeting solution, just one of the many Virtual Corporate Events that InXpo, the leading provider of privately-branded virtual events, can provide as more and more companies are forced to slash travel budgets.

2-17-09 | MarketingSherpa

Primer on Virtual Event Marketing: 10 Tactics, 3 Strategies to Draw Visitors, Sponsors

SUMMARY: Virtual events offer a less expensive way to reach thousands of potential customers in the U.S. and overseas. Here are 10 tactics, 3 strategies and some tips from three marketers on how to create successful virtual events.

2-09-09 | Core

Cisco, EMC, Oracle, VMWare - "virtual" Trade Show big on WOW factor

Cisco is sponsoring a "virtual" tradeshow, and it’s well worth checking out just to get a look at  the technology being used.

2-09-09 | American Business Media

InXpo Launches XpoCast: The Next Generation of Webcasting

InXpo, the leader in privately-branded virtual events, announces the launch of their new webcasting platform, XpoCast. Recently featured at InXpoLive, InXpo's own Virtual Corporate Event, attendees spent an average of forty-five minutes in the XpoCast booth, making it one of InXpo's most popular new products.

2-06-09 | Car Hotel Air

AAA Travel and InXpo Partner in Virtual Travel Show

In AAA Travel's upcoming virtual travel show titled "Europe Is Closer Than You Think," AAA will unite travelers with the best experts from cruise and tour companies by using InXpo's virtual event platforms.

2-06-09 | Travlers God

AAA Travel and InXpo Partner in Virtual Travel Show - MSNBC

In AAA Travel's upcoming virtual travel show titled "Europe Is Closer Than You Think," AAA will unite travelers with the best experts from...

2-06-09 | Travel Chicago

AAA Travel and InXpo Partner in Virtual Travel Show (Marketwire via Yahoo! Finance)

In AAA Travel’s upcoming virtual travel show titled "Europe Is Closer Than You Think," AAA will unite travelers with the best experts from cruise and tour companies by using InXpo’s virtual event platforms.

2-05-09 | Market Watch

AAA Travel and InXpo Partner in Virtual Travel Show Showing Travelers That Europe Is Closer Than They Think

In AAA Travel's upcoming virtual travel show titled "Europe Is Closer Than You Think," AAA will unite travelers with the best experts from cruise and tour companies by using InXpo's virtual event platforms. This show is just part of an ongoing series planned between AAA Travel and InXpo, the leader in privately-branded virtual events.

2-05-09 | Hospitality Industry

InXpo: AAA Travel and InXpo Partner in Virtual Travel Show

Showing Travelers That Europe Is Closer Than They Think.

2-05-09 | Ezine Articles

Virtual Events and Meetings Take Off

Have you ever dreamed of traveling around the globe and meeting various business people without actually traveling and spending too much money? Do you ever imagine organizing company events one after the other while sitting in your chair and drinking coffee?

2-05-09 | Cruises of the World

AAA Travel and InXpo Partner in Virtual Travel Show - SYS-CON Media

AAA Travel's upcoming virtual travel show titled "Europe Is Closer Than You Think," AAA will unite travelers with the best experts from cruise and tour...

2-05-09 | MSN

AAA Travel and InXpo Partner in Virtual Travel Show

Showing Travelers That Europe Is Closer Than They Think.

1-09 | American Business Media

Malcolm Lotzof of InXpo!

The InXpo CEO discusses using integrated technologies to produce virtual events and more!

1-29-09 | Virtual Worlds News

MarketingProfs to Host Virtual Conferences on InXpo

InXpo announced today that it will conduct virtual trade shows for MarketingProfs. Earlier this month we reported that thousands had registered for an InXpo-based Sony Electronics conference.

1-28-09 | B2B

InXpo Signs MarketingProfs for Virtual Trade Shows

InXpo, the leader in privately-branded virtual events, announced today that it will conduct Virtual Trade Shows for MarketingProfs, the trusted, go-to resource that offers businesses the take-action …

1-28-09 | REUTERS

InXpo Signs MarketingProfs for Virtual Trade Shows

InXpo, the leader in privately-branded virtual events, announced today that it will conduct Virtual Trade Shows for MarketingProfs, the trusted, go-to resource that offers businesses the take-action expertise to market their products and services in the most strategic way.

1-24-09 | AGWIRED

WATT Virtual Animal Health Forum

Here’s a sign of the viability of online communications in agriculture. I think we’re going to see more of this at time goes on and travel budgets get tighter.

1-22-09 | DogandPony

Malcolm Lotzof: Trade Shows of the Future

Malcolm Lotzof is the CEO of InXpo, a virtual event provider that is drastically expanding the reach of physical events with their 3D interactive customizable events. Malcolm points out the financial and ecological benefits of their green business solution.

1-22-09 | MEDILL REPORTS CHICAGO

Virtual Career Fairs Display Appeal in Weak Job Market

The recession has been especially miserable for the job market, which means it may be time for job seekers to turn to virtual career fairs, according to Shaker Recruitment Advertising & Communications Inc. and InXpo Inc.

1-20-09 | TMCnet.com

Shaker Partners With InXpo to Offer New Online Virtual Recruiting Resource

Shaker Recruitment Advertising & Communications has strategically partnered with InXpo to provide companies with innovative opportunities to attract talent by hosting their own Virtual Career Fairs.

1-20-09 | MSN

Shaker Partners With InXpo to Offer New Online Virtual Recruiting Resource

Sony Electronics staged a virtual trade show today for fans of professional broadcasting equipment. The company said thousands of people registered for the event, which was staged by InXpo in Chicago.

1-19-09 | Virtual Worlds News

Thousands Registered for Sony Virtual Conference

Last week Sony Electronics held a virtual trade show for professional broadcasting equipment consumer on the InXpo platform. Thousands of people registered for the event, reports VentureBeat. 

1-17-09 | Business & Technology Reinvention

10 Things I'll Miss About Trade Shows

Dean Takahashi's of VentureBeat wrote a post about Sony Electronics holding a virtual trade show here. Virtual sales calls and seminars are being done via the Internet, so I'm thrilled that a cost effective solution now exists for trade shows.

1-16-09 | comScore

comScore Releases December 2008 U.S. Search Engine Rankings

comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today released its monthly comScore qSearch analysis of the U.S. search marketplace. In December 2008, Americans conducted 12.7 billion core searches, a 3-percent increase versus November.

1-16-09 | SONY

Sony Hosts Thousands Of 'Virtual' Attendees At Online Trade Show

Sony successfully hosted one of the largest online virtual trade shows of its kind.

1-15-09 | The Industry Standard

Sony Electronics Holds a Virtual Trade Show

Sony Electronics staged a virtual trade show today for fans of professional broadcasting equipment. The company said thousands of people registered for the event, which was staged by InXpo in Chicago.

1-15-09 | Venture Beat Digital Media

Sony Electronics Holds a Virtual Trade Show

Sony Electronics staged a virtual trade show today for fans of professional broadcasting equipment. The company said thousands of people registered for the event, which was staged by InXpo in Chicago.